Axis "Best Of The Best" 4K Camera Tested (Q1798-LE)

By: Rob Kilpatrick, Published on Nov 21, 2019

Axis has released their "best of the best" Q1798-LE bullet camera, touting "4K without compromise" with a large Micro 4/3" image sensor, custom made Canon zoom lens, Lightfinder 2.0, and using only "the same bandwidth and storage as regular 1080p cameras" in low light.

We bought and tested the Q1798-LE to examine these claims. Inside, we look at:

  • How does it compare in day and night (color/~2 lux and IR/~0.02 lux) to other Axis cameras?
  • How even is IR coverage? Are there hotspots or dark areas?
  • How do Zipstream H.265 and H.264 day and night bitrates compare?
  • How well does it integrate into Avigilon, Exacq, Genetec, Milestone, and NxWitness?

**** *** ******** ***** "best ** *** ****"*****-** ****** ******, ******* "** ******* compromise" **** * ***** Micro */*" ***** ******, custom **** ***** **** lens, *********** *.*, *** using **** "*** **** bandwidth *** ******* ** regular ***** *******" ** low *****.

** ****** *** ****** the *****-** ** ******* these ******. ******, ** look **:

  • *** **** ** ******* in *** *** ***** (color/~2 *** *** **/~*.** lux) ** ***** **** cameras?
  • *** **** ** ** coverage? *** ***** ******** or **** *****?
  • *** ** ********* *.*** and *.*** *** *** night ******** *******?
  • *** **** **** ** integrate **** ********, *****, Genetec, *********, *** *********?

[***************]

*******

*** *****-** ******* ****** low ***** (~* ***) and ****/** (~*.** ***) image *******, **** ** coverage, *** ****** ** details *** ** ** included ** **** ****** which ******* ***** **** visible ***** **** ** taillights *** **********.

*******, ******* **** ****** at *** ** **** range ****** *** *** than *** *****, **** WDR ********** ****** *** to **** ****** ******* backlight *** *** ****** in ******** *****.

Key ********

***** ** *** *****, the **** *****-** *** several *** *********:

  • ** **** ****** ******* nighttime *****:*** *****-**'* ** **** filter ******* **** ******* light ******* ** ***** with ** **, ******** glare **** **********, **********, and ***** ******* ******** to ***** *******.
  • **** ** ********:*** *****'* ** ************ evenly ******* *** *****, with ************ ** *** edges ******* ** *** center ** *** ***** of ****. **** ****** darkening *** ******* ** the ******* ** *** image ** *** ******'* widest ****.
  • ****** ** (~*.** ***) and *** ***** (~* lux) ***** *******:******** ** ***** **** end **** ****** (*****-*** and *****-*), *** ***** produced ******** ******* ** low ***** *** **** scenes **** ** **.
  • ****** ***** ******** ** low *****:** *** ***** (~* lux), *** *****-** ******** the ****** ****** ** Axis ******* ****** (*****-*** and *****-*).
  • ***** *** ***********:*** *****-** ********** **** all ***** ***** ******, only ******** *** *** support *.*** *********.

******** ** *** **** some *********:

  • **** ***** ***** ******* worse **** *****:** *** ** **** range (~**-**'), *** *****-** produced ****** ******* (~*** lux) ******* **** ****' high *** *****-*** ****, with ****** ******.
  • ****** *** *******:*** ***** ******** ****** WDR ******* **** *** Q3518 *** *****, **** softer ****** ******* ****** backlight *** ****** ******* in ******** *****.

*******

*** **** *****-** ***** for ~$*,*** *** ******, one ** ****' **** expensive ******, ~$*** **** than *** **** *** Q3518-LVE ** **** (~$*,***).

IR **** ****** ******* ********* ************

******* ** **** ******** its ** *** ****** at *****, *** *****-** uses ** ** **** filter ***** ****** **** of *** ******* ***** spectrum *** ****** **** infrared ***** (***-*****).

******* ** ****, *** camera ************* ******* ***** when ***** ******** ** bright ***** ******* **** as ********** ** **********. For *******, **** ****** a ***+ *** ********** light ******** ** *** camera, ***** ** **** lens ***** *** ***** is *********** ******* ******** to *** ** **** Q3518-LVE.

*** ***** ***** ***** the ******* ** *** pass ****** ** *** Q1798, ** ** ******* from ***** **** **** a ******* *** ***** aimed ******** ** ** to **********, ********* **** overexposed **** ***** ***** to ****** ******* ** that **** *** ********** LEDs *** ** *************.

IR **** ****** **********: ******* *****

** *** *****, **** pass ****** *** *********** advantages ** ******** *****. When ******* ** ******* license ******, *** *******, the **** ****** ******* many ********** *** ******* plate ****** ****** **********, making ****** **** ****** to **** ******* *** settings ********** *********. *** example, ******** ** *** Q3518 *** ***** *****, the ***** ******* ***** the *******'* ******* *****, which ** *********** ********* or ******* ** ******.

******* ******* ********** **** less ********** ** **** contain * *********** ****** of ** *****. ***** is ******* ******** ** other *******, **** ********** improved ******* *******, *** not ** ************* ******** as **********.

Even ** ********

*** *****'* ** ******** was **** **** **** to ****, **** **** slight ********* ** *** corners ** *** ******'* field ** ****, **** no ****** ************.

Dark ***** ******* (~*.** ***)

** *** **** ***** (~0.01lx) ** ~**'. *** cameras ******* *********, ******** the **** ***** *** facial ******* ******* ************.

****, ** ~**' ******* facial ******* *** ********* on **** ** ******* but *** *****-** ****** one **** ******* **** on *** ***** *** a ******* *****.

** ~**', ******* *** ~40', *** ** ******* still ***** ******* ****** details *** *** *****-** offers *** **** ******* line ** *** *****.

Solid *** ***** ***** *******/***** ******** (~* ***)

** * *** ***** scene (~* ***) *** cameras ******* ********* ** ~20', ****** *** *****-** produces ********** ***** ****** than ******. *** *****-*** appears ******** ***********.

** ~**', *** *****-** offers ******** ****** ****** details, **** ****** ***** more ********.

Weaker ******* ***** ******* (~*** ***)

** * ******* ******* at ~**' *** ** cameras ***** ******* ****** and ***** ******* **** no ************.

*******, ******** *** ******** to ~**', *** *****-** is ****** **** *** Q3518-LVE, **** ****** *******, even ***** **********.

WDR ***** *******

** ****** *** ******* an ******** *******, **** outdoor *** ** ~**** and ****** *** ** ~40, * ******** ** ~25x.

*** ******* ********* ********* in **** ********, *** Q1798-LE ******** *** ****** portion **** **** *** other ******* *** ******* facial *** ***** ******* are ***** *********.

*********

*** *****-**'* ********* ******** were ***** **** *** Q3518-LVE **** ** ~**% in *** ***** *** dark **** ** **. Bitrates **** ****** **** the **** *****-*, ******* Axis' ***** ** **** requiring "*** **** ********* and ******* ** ******* 1080p *******."

VMS ***********

*** *****-** *** * broad ***********, ******** **** H.264 *** *.*** ********* in *** ***** ***** but ******** ***** *** not ******* *.***.****'* **** ************* ********* ** *** VMSes ****** *** ********.

Physical ********

*** *****-** ** * large ****** ******, ***** to *** **** ** Axis' *****-* *** ****** in *******. *******, ** includes * *** *** punchdown ** *** **** of *** *******, ** cables *** ** ******** terminated ******* ** ******** modular *****, ***** *** be ****** ** * ladder ** **** *** more ******. ** ****** the ******'* ******** ******** in **** *****:

Country ** ******

*** *****-** *** ************ in ******.

Test **********

******* **** ****** ***** default ******** **** **** changes:

  • ********* *** *** ** Higher, **** ******* *** set ** **, ******** of **** (*******).
  • *** *** *******
  • *.*** *** **** ****** testing

*** ********* ******** **** used ****** *******.

  • **** *****-**: *.**.*.*
  • **** *****-***: *.**.*
  • **** *****-*: *.**.*

Comments (5)

Michael Miller

11/21/19 12:50pm

**** *** ********* **** with ******** *** ********* Events.

Undisclosed End User #1

11/21/19 10:03pm

**** ***** ********* **** the** **** ******** **********. ** **** a *** **********? *** others ***** **?

Sebastian Kratzke

In reply to Undisclosed End User #1 | 11/21/19 05:52pm

***** **-**** ******* *** it ** * ***** filter ****** („***** **“).

Avatar

Ethan Ace

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed End User #1 | 11/21/19 11:05pm

**'* *** *** **********, but **'* * ****** rare **************. ** **** of **** *** ************ cameras ***** **, **** the ***** *** *** Canon ***** ********* ******** the **** **** *'* aware **.** **** *********** **** ********* *** a **** ****, *** generally ******* ** ********* photography.

Avatar

Ethan Ace

IPVM | In reply to Ethan Ace | 11/21/19 06:07pm

******* ***: ******* **** has **** **** ******* with *** **** *******, which **** ******* ** their**** ********* *** ***.

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